Antisqueak material for shoes



Nov. 1o, 1931. A. THOMA 1,831,269

ANTISQUEAK MATERIAL FOR SHOES Filed Aug. 8. 1927` gig/2.4. 15g/? v L l"L "LI/ I ,1 -rfv 25a M Z;

@h-w i Patented Nov. 10, 1931 ANDREW THOMA, F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR TO .NORTH MEBICAN CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MAS

CHUSETTS SACHUSETTS, A COREOIRATF` 0F MASSA- ANTISQ-UEAK MATERIAL FORSHOES Application filed August 8, 1927. Serial No. 211,300.

This invention pertains to the manufabture of footwear and more'particularly to means for eliminating squeak-producing friction betweenthe parts of a shoe and toa method or process of producing suchanti-squeak means.

According to most processes of manufacture, the various elementsconstituting the bottom of a 'shoe are united only along the marginalportion of the bottom, thus providl0 ing the desired flexibility for thecomfort of the wearer, but ythe slight relative movement and rubbing ofthe shoe parts mainly within the boundary of said margin or within themarginal line of stitches or other fastenings which is thus permitted,frequently results in producing a disagreeable squeak. This isespecially noticeable in shoes of the McKay type, (where a large portionof the bottom of the inner sole is'covered by the folded-over o edge ofthe upper) and in shoes of any type in which a dry (non-adhesive) filleris interposed between the outer soleand contiguous parts. When the outersole is fastened in place it bears against these folded-over edge 5portions of the upper, and the filler material, and as the wearer iiexesthe shoe in walking the parts rub and a squeaking noise results. Inaccordance with the present invention I interpose an anti-friction oranti-squeak element between those parts of the shoe which have hithertotended to rub and squeak, preferably providing this anti-squeak elementin a form such that it is easy and cheap to make,

readily packed for storage or shipment (ifnecessary), which can beapplied to the shoe without the aid of special machinery or equipment,and which does not affect the other and usual steps in the shoe-makingprocess or substantially change the appearance or weight of thecompleted shoe. l

A preferred form of anti-squeak element consists of a sheet lof paper,paper-like substance, textile fabric or any other suitable sheetmaterial, having suicient toughness and flexibility and of properthickness for the purpose, such sheet being coated and preferablyimpregnated with asticky and desirably waterproof or water-repellentsubstance and in the latter case preferably loaded or lled with apowdered mineral anti-squeak element.

While I obtain good results by the interposition of such a sticky sheetor layer between shoe parts, I prefer to dust or otherwise coat thissticky sheet with an anti-friction powder or other slippery substancewhich sticks to and is held in place by the sticky coating of the basefabric. This powder imparts to the base fabric a smooth, slick surfacewhich does not adhere to adjacent parts of the shoe and which is soslippery that squeak-producing friction is impossible. `f The-waterproofed sheet with its sticky surface (of wax tailings forinstance) is thus rendered non-sticky by the talc or other mineralpowder, producing a film or'layer of paste or putty-like consistency asa mechanical lubricant. Heretofore talc has occasionally been used drybetween the two soles and has quickly been lost so far as theanti-friction or anti-squeak effect was concerned. I provide the filmstated, orlayer or coating which is therefore immovable and hence not tobe lost in use. The more this layer of powder is rubbed the better itwill stay in place and the more securely it will be bound to the paper,because a rubbing pressure on the layer of powder tends to force itsomewhat into the surface of the Vpermanently sticky binder with whichthe paper or carrying layer is impregnated or coated, thus strengtheningthe bond between the layer of powder and the layer of paper. The stickyabsorbent is itself an excellent anti-squea element.

In order that the anti-squeak material may not lose its effectiveness Iregard it as important that the sticky coating or impregnant employed beof such a nature that it will retain its stickiness and tenacityindefinitely. In certain prior patents relating to shoe fillercompounds, for example my Patent Nos. 808,- 224, December 6, 1905;832,002, Se tember 25, 1906; and 855,868, June 4, 1907, I ave describedvarious forms of permanently sticky binder materials, all of whichpossess characteristics making them more or less acceptable for thepresent purpose. However, by reason of its relative cheapness,availability and 'highly'adhesive properties, Iprefer to employ acoating or nnpregnating material comprising the sticky residuumofpetroleum known as wax-tailings, or combinations thereof with oils,resins, pitches or gums as more fully4 described for example' in myPatent No.' 855,868.

In coating or impregnating the sheet mathe fabric, and I sometimessubject the web to pressure within the bath or after leaving the bath inorder to'force the coating or impreg-` nating material into the pores ofthe web.

The sheet material thus treated has a thin surface coating or lin of apermanently sticky character, waterproof -and strongly adhesive toleather, and this sheet material may be interposed in this conditionbetween' those elements of the shoe which commonly rub and s ueak. Whenthus used the thin, permanently sticky, waxy and elastic film or coatingof the sheet tends to adhere to the shoe arts with which it contacts andlforms a yielding cushion for the latter. -As the shoe parts moverelativel this thin, elastic, waxy ihn yields, althoug apparently stillmaintaining its grip u on the shoev parts, and behaves like a lubricantfluid bodv, becoming warm (and incidentally more sticky) throughinternal friction but exhibiting no tendency to mechanical vibration ofa kind which will produce a squeak. I Y

While the coated or impregnated fabric may thus be used withoutfurthertreatment, its sticky surface makes it somewhat hard to handleandparticularly to ship or store, and I thus prefer to provide aprotective coating for the sticky sheet material. While a coating'intended to be stripped off or otherwise removed, prior to applicationof the antisqueak element to the shoe may be rovided, I preferl toemploy a, coating as a ve suggested which may'form a permanent part of ithe anti-squeak element and which is preferably of such a nature as toenhance the antisqueak properties of the sticky coating material. Tothis end I dust or otherwise spread an anti-friction powder upon one orboth of the sticky surfaces of the sheet material, such powderpreferably being of an unctuous nature, for exam le gaphite, a powderedmineral, such as ta c or soapstone, or a slippery non-absorbent flakymaterial, such for example as owdered mica.

When thus treate the powder dulls the normal stickiness ofthe outersurface of the coated material but the sticky coating holds the powderlayer firmly in place and while the shoe`elements normally slip incontact 'in pers ective v with the slick, smooth surface of the powderlayer, the normal elasticity and yieldinglcharacter of the stickycoating is substantia y unimpaired and acts as an elastic lubricatingcushion with respect to the dust la er in the same way as when it is,applied 'rectly to the shoe parts.

In the accompanying drawings I illustrate by way of example certainsteps comprised in a desirable process of making my anti-squea material,together with various modes of coating and applying this material to ashoe, put without intending thus to limit my invenion.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a dia ammatic elevation, artly in section,showing apparatus suitab e for use in preparing my anti-squeak materialin sheet form;

Fig. 2 is a fragment-ary vertical section, to

kia

very large scale, illustrative of the character of the sheet materialresulting from the complete process indicated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating one mode of cuttinganti-squeak elements from the sheet material;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the elements A cut as indicated in Fig.3; v

Fi 5 and 6 are plan views illustrating modi ed shapes of anti-squeakelements;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are plan views illustrating another mode of preparinganti-squeak elements from sheet material;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary'plan view, partly illustratin the anti-squeakelement o shoe;

Fig. 11 is a similar view illustrating the application of theanti-squeak element of Fig. 5 to a McKay shoe;

Fig. 12 .is a transverse section, substantially on the line 12-12 ofFig. 10, but to larger the application of Fig. 4 to a McKay scale,showing the' outer sole of the shoe in place; and

Figs. 13 and'14`are fragmentary vertical sections to large scale showingmodified forms of antiueak sheet material. p

Referring' to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates a spindle or roller uponwhich is mounted a roll 2 of sheet material, such for example as a webof paper, textile fabric or f the like. This sheet material 3 passesfrom', the roll to a receptacle 4, preferably provided with guide rolls5 and 6 adjacent to its opposite edges, and with rollers 7 and 8 in itslower part for guiding the sheet 3 downwardly into the receptacle. Ifdesiredy one or both airs of rolls '5 and 6, or 7 and 8, may j bepositively driven and preferably the rolls f,

A7 and 8 are arranged to exert a substantial pressure upon'the sheet 3as it passes between them. The receptacle or tank 4 ispreferablyprovided with heating means, as for example the steam coils 9,and, is'adapted to contain ay body of coating or impregnating materialof the kind above referred to, and which is permanently sticky and veryelastic, for example, wax tailings.,

0n its way from the rolls 7 and 8-to the delivery rolls 6, the webpasses between scraper devices 11 which remove the surplus coating andimpregnating fluid, and the web or sheet 3 may then pass to a guide roll12. On its `way to this guide roll the web passes beneath a receptacle13 containing a slippery inert powder, such-for example as graphite,talc, soapstone, powdered mica' or the llke, and this material may bespread upon one sticky surface of the web by brush 14 or any othersuitable` means. From the guide roll 12 the web passes under a guideroll 15 and beneath a receptacle 16 containing a slippery powder of thesame kind as used in said receptacle 13, which is dusted upon the othersticky surface of the web by means of a brush 17. Thus both surfaces ofthe web are coated with the powder.

From this point the web may pass between rolls 18 which, if desired,exert some pressure in'order to embed the .powder in the sticky coating,and then the web may bc passed about guide rolls 19 to form festoons 20,if desired, to furnish a sullicient time interval for the impregnant tocool and harden. The completed sheet material S, comprising the originalweb with its surface coatings, may now be rolled upon a spindle 21 toform a roll22, or may be cut into sheets of suitable sizeor handling,packing, etc.

ln Fig. 2 the completed sheet S (in enlarged section) is shown ascomprising the original web or sheet 3. having the sticky coatings 24 onits o posite sides to which the layers 25 of pow er adhere. During thepassage of the web through the bath of fluid coating material 10, thefluid tends to enter the pores of the web, particularly if the Web besubjected to pressure, thus impregnating the vweb and rendering itwaterproof.

The 'sheet material thus prepared may now be cut up in any desiredmanner, and when to be used in a shoe the sheet S, as indicated in Fig.:3, may be cut into sections 26 by means of suitable dies, such sectionshaving a contour substantially like that of the forepart of a shoebottom and being adapted to cover the central portion of the inner soleof a shoefas Well as tions of the bottom.

In Fig. 5 I have indicated a modification in which the `anti-squeakelement 27 has a contour similar tog-that rof the shoe bottom but is cutout at its central portion sov that it covers only thema'rginal portionsof the shoe bottom. In Fig. 6 I have shown a curved piece 28 of thesheet material which is adapted to coverthe marginal portion of the shoebottom at one side and which must be associated with similar sections inorder preferably the marginal porto extend around the entire margin of ashoe.

This shape of anti-friction element may be desirable for the sake ofeconomy in cutting. In Fig. 7 I have shown a straight strip 29 of thesheet material and in Fig. 8 I have shown a similar strip 30 notched at31 along one edge to facilitate its bending to lenable it to follow thecontour of the shoe bottom. This strip 30, bent so as to conform to theedge of a shoe bottom, is shown in Fig. 9.

In Figs. 10 and 12 I have indicated diagrammatically and in sectionrespectively a shoe of the McKay type comprising the upper U and theinner sole 33,-the edge portions 34 of the upper being turned inwardlyand folded down upon the under surface of the inner sole to which theseedge portions of the upper are secured by means of fasteners F. Thecentral cavity of the shoe bottom, defined by the edges of the upper, isprovided with liller 35 which may e of any usual material and upon thisfiller rests the anti-squeak element 26' of the kind shown in Fig. 4.Preferably I apply adhesive to the central portion of the antisqueakelement 26 before applying it to the shoe bottom, the adhesive areabeingindicated at 27. After applying the anti-squeak element in this manner,the outer sole 36 is placed in position and secured by means of stitches37 or other usual form of fastener. The thin sheet-like anti-squeakelement 26, consisting of the inner web of paper-like material and theouter coatings of slippery powder permanently held in position by `thesticky layers 24, forms a very effective preventive of friction,` suchas would cause squeaking, since the outer sole bears against oneslipperand unctuous layer 25 while the inturned e ge portions 34 of the upperbear against the other slippery layer 25. Thus even though the shoeparts have some relative movement, they are free to slide withoutSetting up mechanical vibrations such as would produce a noise, and eventhough it were possible for the shoe parts to adhere to the sllpperylayers, the latter are supported upon the cushioning and lubricatinglayers of sticky material which is elastic and` stretches readily andwhich, being of semifluid character, will not squeak when subjected torubbing ressure. f

' By reason of t e waterproof qualities of this anti-sttueak materialits interposition between the ottom elements of the shoe tends towaterproof the latter and to prevent moisture from passing through theouter sole into the inner sole.

v In Fig 11 I have shown a shoe similar to that indicated in Figs. 10and 12, but having the anti-squeak element 27 applied thereto, insteadof the element' 26. This anti-squeak element 27 extends around themarginal portion of the shoe bottom and is inte sed between the outersole and the inturn pornate it.

ed ready sugg I further contemplate that within the scope of myinvention I may omit the base fabric or web 3 and provide an anti-squeakelement' consisting, as indicated in Fig. 13, merely of one or morelayersY 25 of non-adhesive powder or dust embedded in a layer'24l ofsticky material. On the other hand, as alested, and as shown in Fig.'14', I may omit the slippery powder altogether and form my anti-squeakmaterial of a sheet or web'b coated on one or both sides (andimpregnated, if desired) with a sticky ma-v terial, as shown at 24". 4

While I have described one desirable mode of making my anti-squeakmaterial and have indicated several ways of coating this material andapplying it to shoes, I wishit to be understood that this is merely byway of Yillustration and is not intended to limit the scope of theinvention, but that I contemplate that the material may be made inaccordance with other sequences of steps, that it may be cut andappliedto shoes in other ways than those herein speciiically suggested.

I claim:

1. Anti-squeak material or use in shoes, said material being permanentlyiexible and comprising a thin layer of slippery owder and a thin layerof a permanently stic elastic substance.

2. Anti-squeak material for use in shoes, said material comprisin athinsheet of paper, a layer of powdere talc and sticky wax inding thetalc to the paper.

, tailings 3. permanently flexible anti-squeak eleplastic base sheet,

ment for use in shoes having anouter con'- tour substantiallylconforming to the puter contour of a shoe bottom an comprising a thinsheet of paper having a permanently sticky coating mcluding waxtailings.

4. Anti-squeak material for use in shoe bottoms, comprising `a thin,flexible, nonan outer layer of slippery powder and permanently adhesivemeans for binding the powder layer to the base sheet. r

5. Anti-squeak element for use in shoe botoms, said element com rising athin permanently iiexible nonp astio` base sheet and a layer or coating'of rmanently sticky subi to adapt it for insertion stance on one outerace at least of the base sheet, said element beingeof such thickness astween the outer sole vertical dimensions of the shoe.

iexible and sticky l of a shoe and all parts of the shoe bottom whichnormally would contact with the outer sole but without substantiallyincreasing the 6. An anti-squeak element for use in shoes, said elementconsisting of a thin sheet of substantially uniform thickness throughoutconiprising a, permanently sticky substance, said element beingpermanently iexible and having an outer contour such as to conformclosely to the outer edge of the bottom of a shoe with which it maybeassociated, and a layer of slipperv powder substantially covering eachouter face of said element.

7. An anti-squeak element for use in shoes, said element consisting ofa'thin sheet of a thickness adapting it for insertionbetween the outersole of a shoe and all parts of the slice bottom which would normallycontact with the outer sole, said sheet being permanently flexible andcomprising a permanently sticly substance having a normal tendency to ahere to the outer sole and to the opposed parts of the shoe bottom.

8. An anti-squeak element for use in shoes,

.having such thickness as to be included between the outer sole of ashoe and other arts of the shoe bottom without substantial y increasingthe vertical dimensions of the shoe,

said element comprising a v layer of permanently sticky substance havina normal tendency to adhere to the outer so e and tothe opposed parts ofthe shoe bottom.

9. An anti-squeak element for use in shoes,

having such thickness as to be included be- ,tween the outer sole of ashoe and other parts of the shoe bottom without substantially in'-creasing the verticaldimensions of the shoe, said element comprising alayer of permanently sticky substance and a layer of slippey powder. v 4

igned by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 5th day of Aug. 1927.

. ANDREW THOMA.

